Wichita Police are investigating after a crash early Tuesday, Oct. 27th. According to reports, the Wichita Fire Department notified county dispatchers around 8:50 a.m. that they had been involved in an accident between a fire engine and an SUV. The accident was at the intersection of Lincoln and Greenwich.
According to a release from the WPD preliminary investigation indicates that WFD Engine 20 was traveling north on Greenwich Road with its emergency lights and siren activated while responding to a medical emergency involving a person experiencing difficulty breathing. The SUV, driven by 79-year-old James Mattson of Wichita, was traveling west on Lincoln Street and attempting to turn south onto Greenwich Road. The fire engine struck the driver side of the Honda CR-V in the intersection.
Mattson was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Four Wichita firefighters were aboard Engine 20 at the time of the crash. None reported injuries. The WPD is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, with assistance from the Kansas Highway Patrol.
